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BBC Ventures Group’s new commercial business
LONDON: BBC Ventures Group, the BBC’s commercial business-to-business division, has launched BBC Vecta. The aim is to develop and market products from the BBC’s Research and Development team, and other strategic partners, for the media and entertainment markets.
An official release informs that BBC Vecta will create fresh revenues for the BBC, which will be reinvested into programming. Through its business units, it will select and commercialise innovations from BBC R&D and elsewhere which may well have been proven within the rigorous environment of the BBC before reaching the market.
This approach not only reduces risk in making the investment, but also ensures that there is an existing demand and usefulness for the products within the media and entertainment arena. CEO, BBC Ventures Group Roger Flynn, said: “The government set us a challenge to find creative ways to raise commercial revenues. For us, BBC Vecta is part of our response and seeks to capture more of the value that is inherent in innovations within the BBC.”
MD BBC Vecta Mark Popkiewicz said, “The commercial expertise in Vecta combined with the technical expertise within the BBC R&D represents huge assets that will be utilised to generate fresh income for BBC’s programmes and services. This means that we can make effective investments in new innovations that enable broadcasters to make the whole viewing experience more compelling.”
As a first step towards achieving its goals, BBC Vecta launched the first of its businesses, the Wireless Broadcast Unit. The Wireless Broadcast Unit is a specialist provider of wireless broadcast products for the media and entertainment arena. The Wireless Broadcast Unit brings the BBC’s award winning technologies to programme makers enabling them to push the boundaries of what they can deliver to viewers live creating fresh revenues which will then be reinvested back into the BBC.
Its first investment is in the Digital Radio Camera (DRC). The camera has already been used in over 100 award-winning productions such as the Queen’s Jubilee and the Commonwealth Games. The aim of BBC Vecta’s Wireless Business Unit is to build on this technology and commercialises it for the programme makers. In addition, it has already identified its next two investments, which will see wireless digital cameras for the news (ENG) and studio environments come to the market later this year.
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
